Maryland Nightmare: Turmoil for Terrapins as Transfers Add Up

The nightmare that was the 2011 Maryland Terrapins football season is finally over, or is it? After finishing 2-10 with the only wins against the depleted Miami Hurricanes and the Towson Tigers of the FCS, Terrapin fans were hoping to forget about football and move on to basketball. But unfortunately, there is still bad news seeping from the football team.

What could possibly add to the turmoil of a horrible 2-10 season and a fan base that has largely turned on the coaching staff and athletic director? Simple: transfers. An exodus from Maryland has begun. So far a total of six players, some who were starters or were in line to be starters, have been released from their scholarships. The eight to transfer thus far are DJ Adams (RB), R.J. Dill (RT), David Mackall (DE), Rahsaan Moore (FB), Jeremiah Wilson (RB), Titus Till (Safety), Cody Blue (DL), and Adrian Coxson (WR). Adams, Coxson, Dill and Mackall were all projected to be starters next season.

You thought Maryland fans were already mad at Coach Randy Edsall? It has only gotten worse with this. David Mackall added fuel to the fire with his quote about Edsall after he was released from his scholarship:

"After the Florida State game, he said that we didn't have enough talent, that we didn't have enough players to compete with teams like Florida State and Clemson," Mackall said. "He pretty much lost me because any coach is expected to stick with their soldiers in the middle of battle. I felt like he really wasn't focused on us or the task at hand by that comment."

"It wasn't the truth at all," Mackall said [of Edsall's claim that players weren't held accountable under Friedgen]. "Under Coach Friedgen, everybody was accountable. The whole situation about academics, I've got my own thoughts of why things happened, I don't want to say too much about that. Coach Friedgen held everyone accountable for their mistakes and actions."

Mackall would not say whether any other players were going to leave, but added, "I know the program as a whole, many of the players weren't too happy, it wasn't really the family vibe that we had a year ago."

This may be only one man’s perspective of the Maryland conglomerate, but it has many in an uproar. The Terrapins' fan base has been split on Edsall. Some say give him another year. Others want him gone now. No matter what side of the fence you are on, large numbers of players transferring is not good.

So let me ask you: Is Maryland football heading for another Dark Age, or is there still a chance Edsall redeems himself?